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Tuesday, January 29, 2002

Sunday stabbing suspects sought by Pecos police

By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, Tues., Jan. 29, 2002 -- Pecos Police Officers were called to Reeves
County Hospital twice this weekend in reference to separate stabbing
incidents, and are still seeking suspects in both cases.

Pecos Police Investigator Kelly Davis said that the two stabbings occurred
on Sunday, one in the early morning hours and the other that evening.

Police were called to the hospital at 2:57 a.m., on Sunday where Eduardo
Contreras Fuentes, 35, of Barstow was being treated for a stab wound in the
chest.

Davis said that Fuentes explained that he was assaulted outside the Oasis
Bar on East Third Street, though the ambulance wasn't called to take Fuentes
to the hospital until later, after he had driven back to his home.

"He advised that he had been assaulted by three male subjects while crossing
the street in front of the Oasis," Davis said. "During the fight one of
the subjects stabbed him in the chest with a knife."

Fuentes was able to leave the area and drive himself to his home in Barstow
where he stayed until an ambulance was able to reach him.

Davis said that Fuentes has given a statement and they would be putting
together a line up.

The second stabbing incident was reported to the police department at
8:38 p.m., on Sunday, after a Pecos man was taken to Reeves County Hospital.

Noe Nunez, 21, of Pecos, was stabbed in the collar bone area after three
men flagged him down in the 300 block of South Oak Street.

Davis said that Nunez told officers that he was driving his car when three
people in a silver Ford pickup truck pulled him over.

"He stopped his car to see what they wanted," Davis said.

Davis said that Nunez was unsure at the time he was interviewed as to
who the people in the truck were.

"According to the victim, the driver of the vehicle started hitting and
kicking him and then stabbed him one time in the left clavicle area," he
said.

The suspect then got back into his vehicle and drove off, according to
Davis.

The police department is still investigating both incidents.

If anyone has any information pertaining to the stabbings or any other
incident contact the police department at 445-4911.

Commissioners OK golf course use requests

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Tues., Jan. 29, 2002 -- Reeves County Commissioners approved requests
to hold two tournaments this spring at the Reeves County Golf Course,
during the commissioners' regular meeting on Monday at Reeves
County Courthouse.

Knights of Columbus members George Dominguez and Michael Benavides were
on hand to talk to the commissioners about the event, which has been held
later in the year in the past. "This year it will be held on May 4-5, the
Cinco De Mayo weekend," said Dominguez.

"It's been very successful," said Reeves County Judge Jimmy B. Galindo
of the group's past tournaments.

Proceeds from the three-day scramble will benefit the scholarship fund
the Knights of Columbus award to deserving seniors each year, according to
Benavides.

"Last year we had 47 teams," said Benavides. "We've been able to accomplish
our goals and get those scholarships out to the kids."

"Hopefully with this tournament we can do a little bit more," said Dominguez.

Commissioners also approved the West Texas Junior Champions Tournament.
That event is scheduled for June 5 and will include from 60-70 youngsters
from across West Texas. "This is a very, very positive program," said Galindo.

Commissioners had a relatively short meeting on Monday and took care of
several other items, including a couple involving work at the Reeves County
Detention Center.

A payment to LMD Architects was approved, along with a payment to Frank
Spencer for payment invoice No. 519.

Commissioners approved Texas Association of Counties Property Insurance
and early voting clerks for the March primary elections. Early voting for
the March 12 election will be held from Feb. 23-March 8, according to Reeves
County Clerk Dianne Florez.

Deputation and oath for both Estella Anaya for the Reeves County Clerk's
office and Kathryn Gray a reserve deputy for the Reeves County Sheriff's
Department were approved.

Personnel and salary changes included at the Reeves County Detention Center,
Amy Avila was promoted to COII at $24,000 per year; Mary Bell Rodriguez,
to maintenance records clerk II at $24,000 a year; Rosendo Galindo, COII;
Cesar Zermeno, COII; Rosa Dominguez, COII; Joel Baeza promoted to Food Service
Officer II at $24,000 a year; Lupe Nieto was hired at the Reeves County Sheriff's
Office on a part-time basis at $7 per hour; Trent Davis as a jailer at the
RCSO at $24,000 per year and Ida Contreras at the Reeves County Community
Recreation and Sports as an aerobics instructor at $8 an hour.

Pair honored for `Christmas' program work

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Tues., Jan. 29, 2002 -- Two "elves" were awarded the Ruiz Profile
of Courage/Hidden Hero Award at the Annual Pecos Area Chamber of Commerce
Banquet held Friday at the Reeves County Civic Center.

Sofia Baeza and Linda Clark, who have helped in bringing a joyous Christmas
to less fortunate children in the community through the "Christmas for Kids"
program for the past several years, were honored with the prestigious award
on Friday evening.

Catherine Travland who presented the award said, "Both of these individuals
have been instrumental in working side-by-side for many years to bring joy
to the hearts of many Reeves County children at Christmas. These children
might not otherwise have had such happiness during the Christmas season."

The "Christmas for Kids" project provides the essential, along with a
few extras, to children in the community that would not receive Christmas
gifts during the holidays.

They have been active since 1996 and have had numerous fund raisers, collected
door-to-door, stood on street corners with collection buckets, cooked and
held barbecues, delivered packages in the cold-rainy weather and even when
it was snowing.

"They have also helped people whose houses had burned or during other
disasters," said Travland.

The group currently has over 400 children on their list to receive presents
this year, according to Travland.

"The kids are the ones that make this all possible," said Clark. "That's
who we are working for, the children in this community," she said.

Baeza thanked the community for their generosity and said, "Without all
of you, we couldn't do what we do each year."

"We want to help all the children in the community that we can and when
we see that smile on their faces, it makes it all worthwhile," said Baeza.

The awards were among many announced on Friday during the annual Chamber
banquet.

A long-time policeman in Pecos who began his law enforcement career as
a communications officer was honored as the Officer of the Year.

Cosme Ortega began his law enforcement career in May of 1987 as a Communications
Officer for the Pecos Police Department and was promoted to Patrol Officer
10 months later. Ten years after that, Ortega was promoted to Patrol Sergeant,
a position he holds today.

Town of Pecos City Chief of Police Clay McKinney presented the award to
Ortega during the banquet ceremonies.

"Sergeant Ortega has been a member of the department's S.W.A.T. team for
approximately 10 years," said McKinney, who won the award last year. Ortega
is a Certified Breath Test Operator and possesses an Advanced Certification
from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education,
according to McKinney.

"He has received five commendation awards and was selected as Officer
of the Year, 2001, for the Pecos Police Department," said McKinney.

Ortega is a Pecos native and committed to serving his community and protecting
its citizens, according to McKinney. "I feel that Sergeant Ortega is highly
deserving of this award," he said.

"I want to thank my family for supporting me and all the officers at the
Pecos Police Department," said Ortega.

Arturo Granado was honored as Firefighter of the Year, one of two new
awards given out at Friday's banquet. He is self-employed and any time he
is in town he can always be counted on showing up for a fire.

Granado has been a member of the Pecos Volunteer Fire Department for seven
years. He attended a one-week fire training school at Texas A&M his first
year as a volunteer firefighter and has attended the one-week fire training
school at Texas A&M every year since at his own expense and at no cost
to the taxpayers of Reeves County.

"I don't know what I would do without him," said fire chief Roy Pena,
upon presenting the award. "Arturo has also attended a four week training
school for fire investigations."

Granado has also taken several hours off work in the past year to assist
in reading to the local elementary school children and has assisted in several
fire prevention programs.

"He has also donated countless hours in remodeling the meeting room at
the Pecos Central Fire Hall at no charge to the city," said Pena.

Granado is the father of Pecos Volunteer Firefighter Aaron Granado. His
wife, Melissa, is an active member of the Pecos Emergency Medical Service,
for which the first-ever award was also handed out on Friday.

EMT of the Year Award went to Tony Lujan, who was born in Pecos and has
lived here all his life, except when away at school to become a Funeral Director.
He joined the Pecos Ambulance Service in 1986 as an EMT-Basic. Then in 1992,
he became an EMT-Intermediate.

"Lujan currently runs on Wednesday nights and one weekend a month," said
John Cravey, Pecos Ambulance Service Chief. Lujan is a crew chief on his
weekend shift and a member of the Board of Directors for the service.

"When not on call he comes down and helps with the Jaws of Life as needed,"
said Cravey. "He was selected as EMT of the Year in Nov. 2001, by the Ambulance
Service at the annual Thanksgiving Dinner."

While he was in Dallas going to school he was listed as a reserve on the
service. He presently is funeral director at Pecos Funeral Home and has been
licensed since 1996. Prior to working there, he was employed at Pennzoil.
"He is a very dedicated member of our service and is always willing to help
any way he can," said Cravey.

Madera water line repairs cut service today, Wednesday

PECOS, Tues., Jan. 29, 2002 -- Customers of the Madera Valley Water Supply
Corporation will not have much water pressure today or tomorrow.

Madera Manager Peggy Cox said that customers south of Verhalen would have
"low or no water pressure today and tomorrow due to regulator repairs."

Crews will be replacing five regulator systems, which would cause the
water pressure to drop.